Verbal Communication

Verbal communication is perhaps the most obvious and understood mode of communication, and it is certainly a powerful tool in your communication toolbox. Put simply, verbal communication is the sharing of information using words.

While we typically focus on speech while talking about verbal communication, it’s important to remember that writing is also a form of verbal communication. After all, writing uses words too!

Spoken versus Written Communication

Imagine for a moment that you’re a new employee and you need to ask a more experienced coworker for some advice about a project. You have a few choices for using verbal communication to do this. You might choose to call your colleague or speak with them in person. You may take a different approach and send them an email. You can probably identify your own list of pros and cons for each of these approaches. What’s the difference between writing and talking in these workplace situations?

1. Formal versus Informal: Our spoken communication is generally less formal than when we use written communication. For example, asking a question when you pass your coworker in the hall will probably be less formal than writing the same question out in an email. 
2. Synchronous versus Asynchronous: Synchronous communication is communication that takes place in real time, such as during a meeting. In contrast, asynchronous communication is communication that is not immediate and occurs over longer periods of time, such as letters, emails, text messages, or recorded video messages.
3. Recorded versus Unrecorded: Written communication in an organizational setting is generally archived and recorded for later retrieval while spoken communication is generally not recorded.

Benefits of Spoken Communication

Spoken communication can be a conversation, a meeting, or even a speech. Spoken communication is powerful in that it allows for input from every part of the social communication model. You encode your thoughts into the spoken word and look to your audience to decode and take the message in. You can ask for feedback directly to confirm your understanding of your message.

In a world where we do much of our talking by text and email, spoken communication can be used to establish a rapport and a sense of trust with your audience. Spoken communication allows you to bond on a more emotional level with your listeners.

Spoken communication also makes it easier to ensure understanding by addressing objections and clearing up misunderstandings. You can adjust your message as you communicate it, based on the feedback you’re getting from your audience. Spoken communication allows you to walk away from a conversation with a higher degree of certainty that your message was received.

Here are some verbal communication elements and the effects they can have on the success of your communication:

• Pitch is the “highness” or “lowness” of the voice. Each of us has a range of pitches. We can alter our pitch to convey a meaning, like raising the pitch at the end of a sentence that is a question.
• Rate is the speed of speaking. Be aware that there is a range that will be more effective. If too slow, the speech might feel boring. If it is too fast, the audience could feel rushed to keep up with the speed. An audience could become frustrated with either extreme.
• Pauses are temporary breaks in communication. Space between phrases is often used for emphasis, to gather thoughts, or to create a specific effect in communication.